Al-W¥^idÏ's Asb¥b al-Nuz‰l - The Royal Islamic Strategic Studies ...

Asbab al-Nuzul
(Ye are the best community that hath been raised up for mankind…) [3:110].
‘Ikrimah and Muqatil said: “This was revealed about [‘Abd Allah] Ibn Mas‘ud, Ubayy ibn Ka‘b, Mu‘adh
ibn Jabal and Salim, the client of Abu Hudhayfah. Malik ibn al-Dayf and Wahb ibn Yahudha, both of
them Jews, had said to them: ‘Our religion is better than that to which you call us; and we are also more
virtuous and better than you’. And Allah, exalted is He, revealed this verse as a response to them”. 33
(They will not harm you save a trifling hurt…) [3:111].
Said Muqatil: “The Jewish chieftains Ka‘b, Bahra, al-Nu‘man, Abu Rafi‘, Abu Yasir and Ibn Surya went to
‘Abd Allah ibn Salam and his followers, who had believed, and hurt them because of their acceptance of
Islam and so Allah, exalted is He, revealed this verse”.
(They are not all alike…) [3:113].
Ibn ‘Abbas and Muqatil said: “When ‘Abd Allah ibn Salam, Tha‘labah ibn Sa‘yah, Usayd ibn Sa‘yah, Asad
ibn ‘Ubayd and other Jews embraced Islam, the Jewish rabbis said: ‘Only the evil amongst us believed
in Muhammad, for had they been among our best they would not have abandoned the religion of their
forefathers’. They also said to them: ‘You incurred a great loss when you have exchanged the religion of
your forefathers with another religion’. Allah then revealed this verse (They are not all alike)”. 34
Said Ibn Mas‘ud: “This was revealed regarding the nightfall prayer which is performed by the Muslims
but not by the people of the Book”. 35
Abu Sa‘id Muhammad ibn ‘Abd al-Rahman al-Ghazi informed us> Abu ‘Amr Muhammad ibn Ahmad
al-Hiri> Ahmad ibn ‘Ali ibn al-Muthanna> Abu Khaythamah> Hashim ibn al-Qasim> Shayban> ‘Asim>
Zirri> Ibn Mas‘ud who said: “The Messenger of Allah, Allah bless him and give him peace, delayed the
time of the nightfall prayer. When he came out to lead the prayer, he found people waiting for the prayer.
He said: ‘There is no one among the adherents of other religions who is remembering Allah, exalted is
He, at this hour except you’. And Allah, exalted is He, revealed these verses (They are not all alike. Of the
People of the Scripture there is a staunch community who recite the revelations of Allah in the night season…)
up to His saying (Allah is Aware of those who ward off (evil)) [3:115]”. 36
Sa‘id ibn Muhammad ibn Ahmad ibn Nuh informed us> Abu ‘Ali ibn Ahmad al-Faqih> Muhammad ibn
al-Musayyab> Yunus ibn ‘Abd al-A‘la> ‘Abd Allah ibn Wahb> Yahya ibn Ayyub> Ibn Zahr> Sulayman>
Zirr ibn Hubaysh> ‘Abd Allah ibn Mas‘ud who said: “One night, the Messenger of Allah, Allah bless him
and give him peace, did not come out. He was at one of his relatives or wives. He did not come to us to
lead the night prayer until one third of the night had elapsed. When he came and found some of us lying
down and some praying, he gave us the good news, saying: ‘None of the people of the book perform this
prayer’. And the verse (They are not all alike. Of the People of the Scripture there is a staunch community
who recite the revelations of Allah in the night season, falling prostrate (before Him)) was revealed”. 37
(O ye who believe! Take not for intimates others than your own folk…) [3:118].
Ibn ‘Abbas and Mujahid said: “This was revealed about a group of believers who took some hypocrites as
intimate friends and had ties with some Jewish men due to bonds of kinship, friendship, alliance, neigh-
33
Durr, :293; Tabari, :43.
34
Durr, :296; Tabari, :52-53.
35
Durr, :297; Tabari, :55.
36
Durr, :297; Tabari, :55.
37
Tabari, :55.
56